August 31, 2009

A friend of mine mentioned Adrenal Fatigue as something to look into. Well here is some info on it. When I looked autoimmune problems are listed as a result of adrenal fatigue, I will check into this but I believe a doctor can test your adrenals with a simple test/s.

I have been eating tremendously well, but I am not feeling perfectly well, so I think some other piece of the puzzle is missing in my healing, although I feel pretty well I am still not "tip top". I will check into this more...

I was flipping through the channels on TV the other night(watching TV by myself) and I happened to come across Joel Osteen.

Joel was preaching about how to listen to that "little voice inside"(God) and how it can say you are at peace with a decision OR you are having unrest with a decision. That "feeling in the pit of your stomach" that something isn't quite right, is the unrest (and I don't mean indigestion!)

I listened to his sermon and thought about how it related to me, in my life.

It fit many of the areas in my life, but here I will talk about doctors. I noticed that when I have gone to certain doctors I feel stressed. Some doctors I feel totally at peace with. That is not to say the doctor is bad or good........ just bad or good for me personally.

From the start, the Holistic MD I went to stressed me and continues to stress me when I think about her. When I got there my blood pressure was always up, and I just wanted the appointment to be over so I could relax again.

In my past there was a doctor that at first, I felt totally at peace with, and helped me immensely, but then as I learned more and needed more answers that she couldn't give, I was compelled to leave her. As much as I trusted her...my quest for wellness and information I was learning, outgrew the services she could provide.

I realize there are 3 doctors at this point that I feel totally at peace with...the chiropractor that does the ART(Active Release Therapy) , the acupuncturist that does NAET, and the functional medicine doctor that I have made an appt with for next year.

There are some things in life that cause stress and that can't be avoided...try to make those peaceful "inner voice" decisions as much as possble.

August 29, 2009

A friend told me about this movie. I watched the trailer for this, I haven't seen the movie itself yet...but when I find out how I can... I will see it. I am going to check the library and PBS first. It tells how the food industry is just cashing in and has no regard for the quality of the food it is producing, just as long as they make money....We as consumers vote with every item we buy and we CAN turn the tables!

Thought of how odd my insurance profile looks compared to the average Lupus patient.

Maybe a Lupus patient would(many I have met on line)1) See their primary care physicians2) See their rheumatologist3)Take prescription drugs(sometimes heavy duty chemo drugs)

My insurance is1)regular primary care who I don't go to anymore(he likes to give a prescription for any complaint, but is a really good at diagnosing/testing)2)See a chiropractor that does Active Release Therapy(covered)3) See an acupunturist that does NAET(covered)4) See a holistic/MD (well not any more!)5) Take supplements, not medications(they don't see the supplements because I pay out of pocket for them)6) The next doctor I go to will not be covered under insurance either(Ultrawellness in Massachusetts)7) I heard maybe "medical massage" is covered I need to find a person to have that done too.

It is very saddening to me that for the care that I want I need to pay "out of pocket." I am trying to save up for it, but in this economy it is tough! Also many of the tests that are required for diagnosis are not covered under insurance. Also my copay went up significantly. Good luck with your treatment decisions and I will continue to pray for you all to get well and feel better!

I learned this lesson best from the moms of autistic children that I talk to. You CRAVE what you are most allergic to...wish it wasn't so, but if you are having an intense craving for a food you know is not a good food for you DON'T CAVE IN the craving will pass! Eventually the cravings will go away completely...also make sure you are getting enough nutrients in general, you may even want your doctor to check as many vitamin/mineral levels that you can get them to test. http://www.spectracell.com/micronutrient-testing-basic-nutritional-panel/

Dr. Ron Rothenberg is interviewed on page 56 of the book(starts a little before that but here's what I found interesting) This is not the exact text, but the information is here. Again this is "Breakthrough, Eight Steps to Wellness" by Suzanne Somers, she interviews cutting edge doctors and posts the interviews along with other helpful information on health.

What is an autoimmune disease?Autoimmune disease causes your body to react to it's own tissues, the body acts as if they are invaders and forms antibodies and attacks them. Then they list the autoimmune diseases and of course Lupus is one of them.

Why do so many postmenopausal women contract fibromyalgia?Fibromyalgia is an inflammatory state. Fibromyalgia is very much related to hormone levels. Women have more pain in the premenstrual and mentrual phase of their cycle. The doctor thinks it is a progesterone deficiency, since progesterone helps women sleep naturally and it decreases inflammation. He recommends, as do all the doctors that I have read passages from to use biodentical homes NOT synthetic if your own doctor decides to replace hormones if you test low.

Could this inflammation be fixed by replacing hormones?Very often ,though there is no 100 percent in medicine. The doctor feels that it can at least be improved by biodentical hormone replacement. Thyroid is very often a missing link, thyroid resistance is associated with fibromyalgia even when lab tests appear normal.

Could you catch an autoimmune disease be fore it had a chance to manifest if you kept on top of testing your CRP?(CRP measures nonspecific inflammation in other words it will tell you you have inflammation but it will not tell you if it is in the heart, the joints, etc.) The CRP test is the best predictor of who will have a heart attack, much more so than testing for LDL cholesterol.The doctor says he doesn't know if CRP testing would help for autoimmune, but says a functional medicine approach(there's that functional medicine again) could catch it by especially gastrointestinal causes, then change the diet and lifestyle may be able to prevent or reverse the autoimmune disease.There are tests better than CRP. Inflammatory cytokines: Interleukin-6 (Il-6), Interleukin-1 Beta (Il-1 beta) and TNF-Alpha (tumor necosis factor alpha) . These tests measure the chemical mediators that tell the liver to make acute-phase proteins such as CRP. Keep inflammation down and keep healthy.

Other things brought up in the interview are Omega 3 fats and Resveratrol and Vit D3, stem cell treatment for autoimmune diseases....

Please get this book, it's free at your local library and worth the trip! The information given to us as readers is priceless.

August 24, 2009

In other words when you have pain you DO NOT have a tylenol deficiency, your body is saying something is wrong inside and something needs to be healed/corrected inside your body. Try to find out what it is and correct it. A good doctor will help you do this!

I also am creating a GFCF(Gluten Free/Casein free or Dairy Free) mostly egg free/ mostly yeast free recipe blog also. For people who have Lupus or other autoimmune diseases these are treats that should be eaten sparingly, if you know any children with autism or ADHD that follow a GFCF Diet please pass them on http://myfamilysfavoritegfcfrecipes.blogspot.com . If you have Lupus DO NOT eat foods you are allergic/intolerant to this only causes inflammation in your body! I personally cannot have yeast/eggs/potato?/corn so I steer clear of these GFCF goodies now.

This OBVIOUSLY has plagued me for quite some time!Just a quick message on this...a thought I had yesterday...

We need to check out the doctors we go to. I remember back when I had my first baby the BIG thing was, what pediatrition were you going to pick and ALL the pediatricians had a free consultation-type "interview" where the parents could go and ask questions to see if that pediatrician was the right one for your chiild/family situation. There were books telling you what questions to ask at this first visit with a pediatrician.

We comparison shop for everything else.... why not a doctor, at least get recommendations from your friends and ask WHY do they like their doctor, better yet I feel that all doctors should have this interviewing process, remember what you need or want may not be the same as your friend.

I found one of the best ways to know a doctor was for me was to hear that doctor speak.3 of the best doctors that I found were from going to a library program, on a TV program, and at an allergy meeting, a fourth doctor actually let me ask questions on the phone before I made an appointment. Maybe more doctors can do things like this! We NEED to be well informed, doctors are people just like us, they don't know everything and they make mistakes, they are human.Also I find if my doctor is a rheumatologist and they don't have Lupus or someone in their family has Lupus they are not going to give all their attention and research to Lupus there are many other things they need to know so they are spread thin!

If your doctor tells you to do something you are uncomfortable with , you don't like his/her protocol get a second opinion, or a third of a fourth. I realize that is a lot of work especially if you are too sick...but maybe have a friend or family member help you with this.

At this point I just learned that a "functional medicine " doctor is what I was looking for. That is what Dr. Mark Hyman is and his associate is. I JUST learned this about a month ago in all my research that I have been doing for over 1 and 1/2 years! God must have felt I was ready to accept this information now.

All I can say is search and search and read and read and pray and pray! You can find your answers! Be well and I pray for everyone to find their footing on their own healing path!

August 22, 2009

I really encourage you to get your hands on this book! The genes that influence brain health chart from my last post is on page 227 and Dr. Hyman tells you what supplements to take to improve the genes' function. I don't but too many books, but this is one that I will buy. I love all the information, and it is easily readable. He also goes through exactly what to look for when shopping for the supplements. Supplement shopping for me is difficult because so many supplements have things I am allergic/intolerant to in them.

Remember if you want to look at it first ask your local librarian for it, then buy it if you like it.

August 21, 2009

I was reading "The UltraMind Solution" last night. Mark Hyman said that some people have better genes to detox the mercury and other toxins that are in there body, he tested himself when he had issues with mercury and found he didn't have the gene or genes necessary for mercury detox. This is the reason some people have issues with mercury in their body and others don't.

I have been reading more of "Breakthrough..Eight Steps to Wellness, Life Altering Secrets from Today's Cutting Edge Doctors" by Suzanne Somers. OK I am not a fan of Suzanne Somers, but because of her care of her looks and health she sought out the top doctors and in this book she interviews them. As a result of this she know how to take care of her health and well being well into her old age. The doctors in her book give amazing information to us, as readers!

Also "The UltraMind Solution...the simple way to defeat depression, overcome anxiety, and sharpen your mind...fix you broken brain by healing your body first" by Mark Hyman MD.Mark Hyman had an excellent PBS show on recently that I caught one day on TV. When I heard him speak I knew that he was the doctor for me...unfortunately I called to make an appointment and found out he doesn't practice at that location anymore(he has a small practice), so I am going to see his associate. There was a wait of 10 months to see the doctor. Thank you GOD for helping me find that doctor!!!!

After reading these books, by the way, the books' doctors are on the "same page". Oh I'm so clever...I made an ironic funny! (books/"same page") Sorry... I can get very silly when happy!

Anyway I realized why macrobiotics and raw food diets work so well to heal people from any disease. These diets take away the top allergens(most times) and let the immune system relax from fighting the allergens (and therefore keeping the body inflamed/having inflammation)that keep coming in the body so that they can begin doing what they are supposed to do, to protect us from "real" invaders(bacteria and viruses)

The Top food allergens are

gluten(barley,rye,oats,spelt,kamut, wheat, triticale) see www.celiac.com for a complete list of gluten- containing foodsdairy(milk cheese butter yogurt)eggsyeast and yeasted products(wine vinegar breads)cornpeanutsnightshades(tomatoes, eggplant peppers potato)citrus fruits(oranges,grapefruits,etc)soyI will get another book to expand the allergen list, because I like that it shows the allergen in tiers(most allergic, next allergic and least allergic) that list is in "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics..." by Dr. Kenneth Bock

I have many more allergies/intolerances than that and going on a rare food diet from Dr. Cranton really helped me even more than just avoiding these allergens (even on dr. cranton's plan I needed to pull out some foods he said were acceptable.)

As usual you don't need to buy these books, get them from your public library first then see if you want to buy them after reading them.

August 20, 2009

At the beginning of "The Gerson Miracle" DVD they tell a story about the daily toxins you may encounter. I don't remember it exactly, but it goes something like this...

You wake up and take a showerwith chlorinated waterand phlalates and other harmful chemicals in your soap/shampoo

you dry off with a towel that has been washed with bleach and laundry detergent that has nasty chemicals in it

you get in your car and are assaulted with the "new car smell"(even if your car is not new you are still in with all the chemicals) plastic and outgassing carpet, petroleum and other harmful chemicals

you drive to work in traffic with exhaust coming into your car and into your lungs.

you get to work and are breathing toxic flooring and glues and paints.... it just goes on and on.....

All US products are assumed "safe" unless proven detrimental to our health.... in Europe items are considered "unsafe" unless proven safe for the population. This is TRUE! Always question what is on your grocery store shelves etc. in teh US!!!

Some things to worry about...don't get overwhelmed ....just change things day by day item by item.Everything does NOT need to be changed right away. Each baby step will help you be healthier.

Bleach in laundryBleached paper products paper plates,coffee filters, paper towels, pool chemicalsplates and coffee mugs made in Chinaactually almost anything made in Chinashampoossoapscosmeticsparticle board furniture and flooringcell phonesplasticstupperwareBPA in lining of canned foodsfluorescent lightbulbsink in your newspaperTVComputerBatteriespaintsplastic bagscandles(watch parrafin and lead wicks)febreze, glade and other air freshenersantibacterial soapshousehold cleanersperfumecheap jewelryprocessed packaged foodsfood preservativesartificial coloringsleaded crystalaluminum in deodorant, aluminum foillaundry soapsdryer sheetstoothpasteskin creamsnitrites, nitratesplastic water bottlesmicrowave ovenUV raysBHT/BHAstyrofoammouthwash(and other tioletries)moth ballssun screen(better to wear a hat and protecive clothing)Don't get anymore mercury amalgams you can ask your dentist to give you resin fillings(still plastic... but better than mercury!)beadsdon't eat fish that is at the top of the food chain(more mercury and PCB's)

OK here in NY the last4-5 days have been a doozy! HOT and HUMID! I am looking at it as my sauna from God. I am sitting here posting on my blog and SWEATING!!!! Well guess God thought it was time for some detoxing, I also sweat while doing laundry, dishes, cleaning, preparing food (can't always call it "cooking" with all the "raw food" going on!) and straightening up. Trying to save money and save the planet by not using electricity, air conditioners are allowed on my "electricity free" days just have chosen not to use mine most days.

In this heat make sure you all stay well hydrated, and don't do God's sauna if you feel your body cannot tolerate it!

I keep saying I should send my husband to become a masseuse...but seriously.... 1)check if your insurance plan covers "medical massage" for Lupus2) if not... there are instructional videos at the library that your significant other or best friend can try to learn massage techniques for you. Read below for some of the benefits...

The Role Of Therapeutic Massage in Health Maintenance see our massage therapy services

"Touch by itself is a healing art."

Swedish (Relaxation) Massage:

There is no substitute for human touch. For thousands of years some form of massage or laying on of hands has been used to heal and soothe the sick. Research is proving the extra-ordinary effectiveness of touch, the foundation of massage.

Massage Therapy is the only health approach which deals exclusively with muscle tension. The art of relaxation massage is a blending of strokes and techniques that manipulate soft tissue to bring about pain relief, stress reduction, relaxation and a feeling of belonging.Some people think that massage therapy is only for relaxation, a luxury. That is not entirely true. Massage therapy definitely relaxes you, and, there is so much more. You will be surprised at the variety of other benefits from receiving a massage.When the body stays in a state of constant stress, eventually the body will break down from being in the “fight or flight” mode. Stress related diseases are common and massage therapy, combined with a good eating plan and exercise program, will definitely decrease the chances of developing a stress related disease.Some of the important benefits you receive through relaxation massage is the elimination of toxins and relief of chronic pain or muscle tension. This occurs through the increased movement of blood and lymph created by the massage. The foundational physiological effects of massage to the body are further explained:

Circulatory System

Our muscles have memory. When we experience stress or trauma, our muscles will remember the experience. This can often lead to muscles staying contracted or in spasm in an effort to guard the body against the stress. This stress builds up toxins in your tissues. The strokes of therapeutic massage increase blood circulation, remove toxins and bringing oxygen to the nutrient muscles, relieving chronic pain. Regular therapeutic massage will help re-establish the muscle memory to a more constant, naturally relaxed state.

Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is our “waste management“. It takes the excess fluids, protein and waste products (toxins) from the tissue spaces and sends them into the circulatory system. This lymph is crucial in maintaining normal tissue drainage. Edema (swelling) is one result of lymphatic malfunction. Massage stimulates and increases lymph flow, reducing swelling and releasing the toxins that keep muscles tight and contracted. More importantly, increasing lymph flow boosts the immune system, giving the body greater ability to fight disease. To learn more, go to Immune Response

Often referred to as Medical Massage, clinical massage therapy includes advanced soft tissue techniques specifically to reduce pain and provide balance in the musculoskeletal structure. In the state of Texas, a massage therapy license is obtained for 300 hours, the focus of which is anatomy, physiology, and pathology related only to relaxation massage. At Healing Touch Therapies, our clinical therapists have a minimum of 500 hours which includes advanced anatomy, physiology, and pathology along with various ways to address structural issues.What Massage Can Do For YouRelaxation & stress reductionRelief of chronic pain (low back, neck, shoulders or other)Relief of specific pain due to injury or traumaIncrease restricted joint movementPrevention of adhesions, fibrosis, over-use muscle contractionIncrease in circulation (detoxification by ridding body of wastes & toxins)Complement other modalities (acupuncture, chiropractic, counseling)Relieves the "Touch Deficit", or other emotional issuesRelease of unresolved trauma in the energy systemAssist in healing after surgery, childbirthAssist in detoxification and boosting the Immune Response

I have gone to get treated once so far, still checking if my insurance will cover it.The way the doctor explained it at his office is that your muscles can get stiff like "having paint dry in the bristles of a brush" he works that "dried paint" out of the muscles so that they can stretch and contract normally. I still get stiffness in my neck, shoulders, and between my shoulder blades. That is what he worked on.

He explained that he likes to release the muscles before he would make any chiropractic adjustments, because the adjustments wouldn't "hold" because the muscles are so tight and pull the body back out of alignment.

It is like a deep tissue massage on only the area you are having pain or stiffness in. He said he would go lighter on me because I have Lupus. Well the first day I felt "stretched out" and good.The second day... "ouch" it felt as if I had worked those muscles with tremendous exercise.This is the third day and the pain is just about gone, and it still feels stretched out.

I go back again tomorrow for another treatment.

After a regular massage they tell you to drink lots of water to flush out any toxins, so I did this too. And I continued to stretch my arms the way he had done over the past 3 days, to keep the muscles stretched out.

The receptionist said to check if my plan also covers regular "medical massage" for Lupus. Hey it is worth a shot, we can ALL benefit from a massage, Lupus or not!

August 16, 2009

This has plagued me for quite some time....I have a mouthful of silver fillings(mercury amalgams), I will call the dentist and see how many I actually have. I have heard that you release the toxins worse by trying to remove them...Here is a very in depth article on mercury, what it does to your body and how to get rid of it.

I watched a PBS show recently and Dr. Mark Hyman is an incredible speaker and healer. Check out this video. He also has written many books that are excellent too, you can get them at your local library for FREE! Below is a link to a video from the internet. He really is AMAZING!

August 13, 2009

Please God, Bless the followers on this list that they may be healed or at least be blessed with a lessening of their Lupus symptoms. May the pain in their joints and elsewhere cease and desist! May You grant them the strength to make changes in their lives that they need to make to be more at peace. Help them change their diet and resist food cravings. Lead them to the information that will help them heal their body. Amen

This is a repost of things that I feel helped me tremendously and things I'd like to pass on to all of you...

Here are some steps I recommend that you try if you are diagnosed with Lupus or any other autoimmune disease:

1)Keep a food/symptom diary. This will show if you have a repeated reaction to a food that you need to avoid to feel better. Also create a health "binder" the three hole type that you can put all your pertinent health information : copies of your blood tests, questions and research articles for your doctor/s, supplements, medications you are taking, allergy testing, etc (I also put in a copy of my blog in my health binder.)

2)Get tested for Celiac disease(often Lupus and Celiac go hand in hand,check the internet for articles)

3)Get a complete blood test from your health practitioner and also test if you are deficient in Vitamin D, Magnesium, Calcium, (B12 and all the rest of the micronutrient testing too)check mercury levels,(and other heavy metals tests too) and thyroid function .Check for osteoporosis, bone density.

6)Detox your body(safely) don't try anything too wacky... I like eating tons of organic veggies and fruits and making fruit or veggie juices(always fresh fruit or veggies) or smoothies(with fresh or frozen fruits/veggies)

7)Flood your body with nutrients, eat super healthy foods,seasonal foods, raw food diets, macrobiotic diets, certified organic food, lots less salt(if you overdo), NEVER eat processedfoods, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, have lots of Omega 3's, no soda, avoid too much caffeine/coffee, no trans fats, no artificial sweeteners, less real sugar or no real sugar. Chew each mouthful of food many times to aid in digestion, swirl juices smoothies in your mouth to be sure they are mixed with saliva before swallowing. Try to eat in a peaceful environment.

8)Exercise(don't laugh at me) I know you are in pain, try small steps, go get the mail, walk your kids to school, park further out from the grocery store, walk walk walk anywhere you can. Stretch! Yoga Or Tai Chi or Pilates. One thing to remember, DO NOT overdo on your good days, always strive to end early don't push yourself or you will hurt and not be able to do ANYTHING tomorrow.

9)Rest when you need to, say "no" if you are too tired!

10)Stress less... try not to sweat the small stuff, practice breathing exercises, many CD's are available at your local library, Andrew Weil has some excellent CD's on breathing/relaxation visualization and healing. Watch comedies, read joke books LAUGH!!!

11)Feng Shui-or lessen the clutter, clean your environment(don't laugh at me) I know you are too tired to clean! Try to do a little at a time or at least clean your bedroom and that can be your retreat...

12)Detox your house and your work space and your world as much as possible.What is in your soap,shampoo, your deodorant, your toothpaste,your make up, your shaving cream,etc.?Your skin absorbs everything into your body.Try to get a shower water filter, or a whole house water filter(chlorine is a nasty chemical). Don't use bleach in your laundry, get a environmentally safe laundry soap, dishwasher soap.Don't use aluminum pans/foil(at least don't let the aluminum foil touch your food, use less canned products many are coated inside with harmful chemicals, don't wear cheap jewelry many have lead in them and other harmful chemicals, don't wear nail polish. Home carpets/rugs and paints have many nasty chemicals in them try to find environmentally safe home decor items. Use wood, stone metal rather than plastic etc. Avoid phlalates in many toiletry items(soaps, shampoos,perfume,etc.)Get an air purifier and use it. Use natural home cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda. Read the labels, look up chemicals on the internet. Some are very scary! Wear organic cotton clothing, or look for bamboo fabrics. Use glass to store foods instead of plastic. NEVER heat food in plastic in the microwave, better yet don't use a microwave oven at all. Be careful of plastic water bottles left in the car on a hot day, plastics leach chemiclas into food and water when heated.

***Always ask questions and keep reading and learning about your disease. Doctors don't know everything and there is so much information to learn. You may stumble on something that can help you and you can bring it to your doctor's attention. Good Luck!

This is a very informative Lupus tutorial in case your doctor has not told you all about Lupus. If you take medications for your Lupus,, make sure you discuss in depth the complications of the medications and how they weigh against the dangers of the disease itself. I advocate seeing a competent naturopath and getting to the root of why your body is sick not just covering up symptoms with medications. Naturopathic doctors believe that your body can heal itself with the right conditions and that drugs and surgeries are often unecessary. Please make sure that you are comfortable with your decision whether it is to take or not take medications for your Lupus and that you are a VERY educated consumer!

NEVER stop taking any medications that you are presently on without first discussing your case with your doctor!!!!

Below are the top 7 lupus diet do's and lupus diet don'ts you need to know to support your healing.

The 7 Top Lupus Diet Don'ts

1. Do not drink alcohol, pop (a.k.a. soda for those in the U.S.!), energy drinks, or other 'acidic' non-healthy drinks, including treated or public drinking water facilities. 2. Do not eat processed foods, or foods with unhealthy preservatives such as MSG (which include most foods in the centre isles of big box food chains). 3. Do not eat red meat. A little fish such as salmon is great, and chicken. For some even these may trigger flares, so be cognisant of how it makes you feel. 4. Avoid fatty foods, (such as mono saturated fats, trans-fats, saturated fats, and some polyunsaturated omega 6 fats) found in commonly baked, fried and junk foods. 5. Avoid the 4 white foods, including salt, sugar, white flour (refined carbohydrates and starches) and dairy. 6. Avoid spicy foods. Spices are known to trigger flares. 7. Avoid artificial sweeteners. These are toxic and by many believe it to even induce disease (I agree). There is no viable reason to use this product and they do not help you lose weight.

The 7 Top Lupus Diet Do's

1. Eat a diet that mostly consists of simple, natural whole foods such as fruits and vegetables in its raw form. 2. Eat easy to digest foods, such as soaked almonds, soups, fruit/veggie smoothies, and salads based on natural, raw ingredients. 3. Be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day. This supports the elimination of toxic build up in the body, and a faulty digestive process common with lupus sufferers. 4. Support your body by supplementing with digestive enzymes and probiotics. Most lupus patients are not absorbing their food and nutrients properly and need extra enzymes to support the healing process. 5. You must consume enough essential fatty acid (EFA's), or supplement with it. This will support you in reducing inflammation and therefore reducing pain and avoiding flares. 6. Avoid foods that cause food sensitivities or allergies. You must be tested for this in order to be sure of your bodies specific needs. Some tests do not indicate food sensitivities (such as to sugar, salt, etc.), so keep a journal of your body's reactions to foods. 7. Eat a varied diet, rich with alkaline, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory foods. Always clean your food well, (including organic foods).

Go to http://capwiz.com/lfa/home/Click on the link "Urge Your Senators to Cosponsor S. 1630, the Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act," enter your zip code in the box called “Call Now” and click on the “go” button. You’ll then be presented with the contact information for your senators, as well as get talking points for what to say when you call.Please ask your family, friends and coworkers to call on your behalf as well.

Just catching up on my blogging...and waiting for my son to call to be picked up from a sleepover...

Many of the things I do now come naturally and I just"know " them in my brain or "know" them "by heart."I figured I'd mention another one that I hadn't blogged about.

Staying hydrated is VERY important especially when the weather is hot in the summer. We all sweat more in the heat of the summer and we lose minerals and electrolytes as we sweat.

Most times I choose water to quench my thirst, water will detox you well but it also washes away and dilutes your mineral/electrolyte stores.

Drinking homemade juice or smoothies(made with fresh organic veggies/fruits and a juicer or high powered blender) increase minerals and nutrients and detox at the same time. The more dark green leafy veggies the better. If you mix fruits, or a fruit, with a little of dark green leafy veggies if you can deal with the "funky" color you will NOT taste the greens.

I try to make juice fresh and drink it right away because it gets oxidized and loses some nutrition as it sits, and is in contact with the air(this is true even when refrigerated in an airtight container ). Also it is good to swirl juices /smoothies in your mouth to let them mix with saliva before swallowing.

The Gerson Therapy talks about the very ill, or cancer patients needing to drink 13 glasses of juice a day! This detoxes the body(also they recommend coffee enemas to rid the toxins faster , because you could release the toxins into the blood stream and be poisined from the toxins if they are not excretely rapidly)

One thing I find difficult is after each juice making session you have to clean the machine right away(so with the Gerson method all you could do in a day is make juices clean the juice maker and that would probably take you all day! The people at Gerson recommend that you have a friend or relative or other person help you with this task.) It is a lot of work! But we ARE WORTH it!

Also fruits and veggies all add moisture/hydration to your body, just make sure you chew them THOROUGHLY! they should be liquid or just about liquid to give your body an easier time to digest them and to absorb ALL the nutrients.

PS don't touch sodas they are POISIN to your body and all your body does is have to work harder to detoxify all the awful chemicals/colors/articial flavors YUK! If you want soda make your own with sparkling water and your favorite fruits/juices.

PSS Juices that you buy in the store are all pasteuized that kills many nutrients/enzymes better to make your own juice at home, or stop at a "fresh" juice bar, make sure they don't add sugar. Fresh juice is much healthier for you!

3)After "prodding" her with questions, on our third visit she said "in her professional medical opinion"she would focus on heavy metal testing, parasites and testing for blood viruses for Lupus(I Don't Know WHY She Didn't say that FIRST thing this was my THIRD! visit to her after asking her questions)

4)Told me about NeuroScience(will explain in a later post)

5) She gave me a stool test to take from Genova Labs for parasites and digestion(I will send it out soon)

6) She tested my homocysteine and checked my heart by eccocardiogram and that put me at peace that my heart is OK

7) She said my blood work was so GREAT she didn't expect to see such great blood work on a Lupus patient(lots of work goes into that with diet/supplements)

On to the rest of our "time" together the doctor and I.Annoying things...

The first thing she said was " Toni you need to see one doctor(her, of course)" Well I HIT THE ROOF! My blood was pounding in my head and heart, I felt like I would explode! I said I could see any doctor/s that I see fit to treat my Lupus, then she back peddled and said she wanted to "orchestrate" and pick all my doctors SORRY! NOT!!!!

Said B12 had nothing to do with my heart palpitations. Every site I looked at said heart palpitations was a number one symptom of B12 deficency. (leaning to one side of sidewalk(feeling off balance) and hard to take a deep breath and fatigue were other things that have been being corrected with B12 for me also along with much less palpitations--- oh and bloody noses went away too)

At first, said I don't need a test for Celiac Disease "just because" on our first visit, the second visit she OK'd it, but after taking her prescription to Dr. Peter Green at a Celiac talk he said her prescription tests would not be plausible if I am not eating gluten now. When I told her that, she fought the idea, I said it is PETER GREEN he is a Celiac Specialist, that's all he does... HELLO...???!!!!

She also didn't seem to know about B6 toxicity and causing nerve problems in high doses...again read the articles on the internet..

Despite my low D3 for quite some time she said I was too young for a bone density scan for osteoporosis OK now she was bordering on RETARDED! (I will test for osteoporosos through another doctor)

At this third visit she said that "In her personal opinion" she would focus on heavy metal testing, parasite testing and testing for blood viruses(OK why did it take 3 visits and tons of questions that day to DRAG that out!!)

She didn't believe miconutrient testing would prove anything...GOOD MORNING look what magnesium and B12 and D3 supplementation has done for me and my symptoms! I probably have other deficiencies as well!

She didn't like that my NAET practicioner said not to take the Xymogenics shake that she prescribed. She just said I needed to "clear" a few more allergies before I take it.

Also I am driving quite a distance to see this doctor and my copay went up now from $25 a visit to $45! Sorry she is NOT worth it.

Also thank you God for the strength it took to "stand up" to the doctor and ask those questions(I am a very mild mannered, quiet person) . I had my question list in my hand, and after she told me I needed to see only one doctor, her of course,I almost walked out but then remembered I paid $45 for this visit and I was going to get what I wanted and my monies' worth! I said to her I want my questions answered today, that is all I want accomplished today, and please go to your office so we can talk, it was like I wasn't me...again thank you God for the strength it took, all things are possible with God!

Have a GREAT day and focus on the good things, things that make you smile,that happen today, even if you can only find one or two they are 1 or 2 blessings that you didn't have yesterday!

August 5, 2009

I thought of something the last few days and wanted to document it. I had gone gluten free and other foods free at the beginning a little more than a year and a half ago, but over time my diet has gotten better and better.

At first I was eating GF breads/cakes/cookies, made with GF flours, you know the potato starch and the tapioca starch and the rice flours. Now I don't have those in my diet much at all. I had found Babycakes recipes that were GF and vegan (because not only was I GF I was egg free and dairy free.) I have found the recipes that were posted on the internet were even better than Erin's cookbook which I bought and tried some recipes and wasn't as happy with how the recipes in the cookbook came out..... :(

I was sad about a thing that Peter Green said at the Celiac talk that I went to...he said that a GF diet was not healthy...well it can DEFINITELY be healthy. Of course if you replace all the healthy whole wheat bread with potato starch and tapioca starch and white rice flour made bread that will NOT be as healthy.On the other hand if you have whole grains like quinoa and amaranth and millet instead of bread or add those flours to your GF bread you may actually be HEALTHIER than a wheat eater!

Lately I eat naturally GF foods like flax crackers and nut butters and fruit and veggies and "raw" food dishes and desserts. I also eat beans and brown rice and brown rice tortillas and free range/no antibiotics/grain fed ground turkey, wild Alaskan salmon and wildcaught cod and flounder. (I do not eat chicken anymore because the NAET practioner said if I am highly allergic to eggs then I shouldn't eat chicken either because people that have an allergy to one usually have an allergy to the other)

My one "bad" thing if you want to call it that is that I still eat cocoa/chocolate(without milk of course-I only eat dairy free or dark chocolate) I don't have it that much though.I think I have been feeling even better, the Dr. Cranton rare foods diet sealed it, I had felt much better after doing that. I have added some things back in after the elimination, but all in all am doing better.

The thing that I am trying to say here is my body may still need time to heal because I was still eating foods I was allergic to not so long ago. I will keep on pushing on and I have faith that I will find peace from all my symptoms. May you all find peace too!

We have decided not to have a specific day be "electric free" day. We just go by our schedule. We are trying to do 2 electric free days per week now. We liked it so much! The kids payed more attention to the pets in the household and even played games together at times, or went outside on their swingset... it is a refreshing thing to get away from the video games/TV/ computer in this face paced world!

Yesterday I took a drive out to Eastern Long Island to go to the farm stands out there, the food is much fresher because they are so close to the farms or they even own the farms. The fruit and veggies that I get there are so different from grocery store produce. The farms are beautiful too, large and green and lush, or loaded with orchard trees....my daughter went with me and we were drooling to live out there somewhere, even on a farm itself! It is so beautiful and spacious, not a house every thirty feet like where we are now!

We are considering moving in the future, but Long Island is SOOO expensive, even out East...

August 3, 2009

One of the ways I save time is to have am or pm "chopping" time. I take all the veggies that I will use within 3 days and wash and chop them and store them in glass containers, or if I am being quick in ziploc bags. When I am finished all I need to do to prepare a meal is pour or scoop a little of this and a little of that. We don't usually do this but if you have the money, and not the time/energy, get premade salad from the grocery store(in a bag or from the salad bar).

Also when you make a dish that you know will freeze or refrigerate well, make double or triple and save some for an easy dinner/lunch another day.

Now I don't want all of you getting CRAZY, but I saw this a couple of weeks ago and it just made me smile. Now these are some people who love food and art(I AM IN NO WAY saying that you all should do this, unless you want to... and you have the energy!) but just look at the artwork and enjoy and have a laugh or a smile!!!http://www.flickr.com/photos/30578157@N07/

My daughter created a poll for me about blood types... take it if you like... sorry she forgot to add AB+,- usually most people aren't this blood type when they have Lupus though and I cannot change it because someone voted already.... Send me a private email or comment if you are AB blood type.

Most people with chronic disease /Lupus are A+, then comes A-, then O.I had first found this out from my Naturopath and a Lupus poll that I asked for on a Lupus yahoo group . The poll came out that many more people were A bloodtypes. There is a book called "Eat Right for Your Type" by Dr. D'Adamo, that my Naturopath recommended to me.

My Naturopath said that 85% of his patients with chronic disease/Lupus are A blood types, also on the Autism yahoo group that I am on (my children are not autistic but need to follow the same GFCF diet that many autistic children commonly follow) they said that 80-90% of autistic children are A bloodtype also. No one knows why this is(that I am aware of)...but it is VERY curious!!! I am an A+ bloodtype by the way.

August 2, 2009

Today I found a Lupus blog that I had never seen before, it was almost like looking in the mirror, this blog is so much like mine, I will try to contact her. Of course when I showed my daughter the other person's blog my daughter said that her blog was much prettier than mine and she helped "spruce" my blog up. Hope you all enjoy the changes!

Here is the new blog address, this woman has great insight also!!!Check it out!!!

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About Me

I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2004.(but had symptoms of Lupus from about 1993). I have been researching Lupus and healing with diet and a healthy lifestyle. I have discovered that I had many food allergies/intolerances and eliminating those foods from my diet has dramatically lessened my Lupus symptoms! In researching the connection between Lupus and Celiac Disease and food allergies, I have found many prominent medical doctors have written books and articles stating this connection as well. If you work on repairing your intestines, some or all of the food allergies/intolerances will disappear because you can tolerate the foods again. Lupus Hope tells of my years of research into diet and nutrition and holistic medicine and how it can positively effect your overall health. It puts the POWER of getting well in YOUR hands. My blog was started to document my healing journey, as well as to share my journey with others with Lupus or any other autoimmune disease. Sharing a treatment or a type of diet that helped me could possibly help others as well. Knowledge is POWER! So come and learn with me!